It has long been known in the disposable absorbent bandage art that it is extremely desirable to construct absorptive devices, such as sanitary napkins, disposable diapers, incontinent articles, and the like, presenting a dry surface feel to the user to improve wearing comfort and to minimize the development of undesirable skin conditions due to prolonged exposure to moisture absorbed within the bandage.
One viable prior art solution to the aforementioned problem is disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,314 issued to Radel et al. on Aug. 3, 1982 and hereby incorporated herein by reference. Radel et al. discloses an absorbent bandage with a wearer-contacting topsheet comprising a resilient macroscopically expanded, three-dimensional plastic web exhibiting a combination of fiber-like and plastic properties. In a preferred embodiment, the macroscopically expanded three-dimensional plastic web topsheet disclosed in Radel et al. exhibits a fine scale three-dimensional microstructure comprising a regulated continuum of capillary networks, of steadily decreasing size, originating in and extending from one surface of the web and terminating in the form of apertures in the opposite surface thereof to promote rapid fluid transport in the direction of decreasing capillary size. The web's fiber-like appearance is comprised of a continuum of fiber-like elements, the opposed ends of each of the fiber-like elements being interconnected to at least one other of the fiber-like elements.
To reduce the gloss of the Plastic web's visible surface, i.e., that portion of the web which is visible from directly overhead, it has been learned that inclusion of a microscopic pattern of surface aberrations which are not discernible when the perpendicular distance between the viewer's eye and the plane of the web is about 12 inches is highly effective. Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,463,045 issued to Ahr et al . on Jul. 31, 1984 and hereby incorporated herein by reference defines the relevant criteria which must be satisfied so that the three-dimensional expanded web will exhibit a substantially non-glossy visible surface.
A topsheet of the type generally disclosed by Radel et al., having surface aberrations according to Ahr et al., exhibits a fiber-like appearance and tactile impression as well as a non-glossy visible surface. In addition, it is highly effective in promoting rapid fluid transfer from the first wearer-contacting surface to the second pad contacting surface of the topsheet. Topsheets of the latter type have enjoyed wide spread commercial success on catamenial pads due to their highly effective fluid transfer and their clean and dry appearance in use when contrasted to conventional nonwoven fibrous topsheets.
However, the effective fluid transfer and storage of bodily fluids by such structures has allowed for long wearing times and significant fluid absorption prior to disposal. These concentrations of bodily fluids, particularly menses, in the absorbent core tend to be somewhat visible through the opaque topsheet.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a thin opaque multilayer film which can be processed into a formed-film, and which contains a high concentration of pigments or other fillers to increase the masking ability of the formed-films.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a multilayer film which can be processed into a formed-film, and which contains a high concentration of pigments or other fillers located in a separate filler layer which is relatively thick, thereby providing a formed-film having an increased opacity, but which is nontheless readily machinable, i.e., it can be produced at a relatively high speed, e.g., at commercial speeds on the order of several hundred feet per minute.